Rules of the Trade
by Mercy Rule
Summary: Maggie becomes and unfortunate victim of the fallout surrounding Mission City and goes to Glen for help. Oneshot drabble and rated for a couple of curse words.


**Title**: Rules of the Trade

**Author**: Mercy Rule

**Summary**: Maggie becomes and unfortunate victim of the fallout surrounding Mission City.

**A/N**: The concept behind this fic was borrowed from Gixxer Pilot and done with her permission. Also, I'm not familiar with anything other than what information was presented in the 2007 and 2009 movies. I've not read the novels (didn't even know they existed), so please forgive whatever inaccuracies there are because of that.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Transformers and would like not to be sued.

* * *

The United States of America generally frowned upon actions that may endanger its national security, especially in matters of all things military or political. The U.S. Armed forces operated on time-honored and battle-tested strategies. The Washington politicians, though hurling nothing more harmful than sharp-tongued insults, drew their own policies that often paralleled the military in a strictly non-lethal manner. For both groups, nearly everything was done in triplicate. Acronyms had their own acronyms. There was a chain of command and clear pecking order. But first and foremost, there were rules to learn, integrate and to follow. For most people, it really wasn't rocket science to obey the very specific set of rules set out for all government employees.

The most important? Don't steal shit.

More specifically, the removal of top-secret documentation from a top-secret project, from one of the most secure building in the world was not usually the best idea. And when said information was brought to the unsecure, unchecked and certainly unauthorized home of a notorious hacker, it should be completely unsurprising someone's head was going to roll.

So for that specific reason, Maggie Madsen found herself summoned to the Pentagon once again to meet with Secretary of Defense John Keller. It was meeting she'd been dreading, but honestly expecting. She'd taken a deep breath, put on her game face, and crossed her fingers for the best possible outcome.

"Ah. Maggie. Please, sit."

Maggie set her purse gently on the ground under the offered chair and lowered herself down as daintily as possible. Folding her hands in her lap, she nervously smoothed her skirt.

The SECDEF sighed. This part of the job was never fun, but this was Washington, and he had constituents to appease. Getting up from behind his desk, Keller went to the mini-fridge and grabbed two bottles of water. Offering one to his guest, he twisted the cap and took a long drink. "Maggie. I know you're a bright girl. I think you know why you're here."

"Yeah, I have a pretty good idea." She swallowed. "How bad is the damage?"

Throwing propriety to the wind, Keller got up from his chair and half sat on the edge of his desk. "I won't lie to you, Maggie. It's not good. There were some, who if they had their way, would have shipped you off to Leavenworth for the rest of your natural existence for doing what you did." Keller paused, smiling. "Fortunately, for you, being the SECDEF of the United States does come with a little pull."

"With all due respect, Mr. Secretary, I've had one hell of a week. Could we just cut the crap, please? I'd like to know if my future will include a felony record for the rest of my life," Maggie interrupted, running one hand through her wavy hair.

Most men of John Keller's political stature would undoubtedly reacted poorly had they been spoken to the way Maggie had just snapped at him. Fortunately for her, Keller was still and old southern gentleman at heart, and didn't find himself riled up over things as simple as proverbial spilled milk. Most of his bravado as a politician, the pulpit thumping, glaring, loud, and intimidating man, was completely for show.

A mirthy chuckle escaped from John's throat. "Sure can. I guess that's the least I can do for my advisor."

Maggie closed her eyes and put her hands over her face. "Forgive me, Mr. Secretary. I think nearly being killed by the Terminator's Mini-Clone is enough to make me forget all my manners."

"I think in this instance, I'm willing to make an exception," John said, smiling.

"Thank you. I'll do my best not to insult you again." Shifting in her seat, she asked, "So, am I going to prison, back to Australia, or to Gitmo for the rest of my natural life for showing that signal to Glen?"

The SECDEF's face fell. Keller leaned down and placed his right hand over Maggie's left. It was time to get on with business and dragging out the inevitable wasn't doing either of them any favors. "I'm sorry, Maggie. I couldn't do more for you, but in the end, the Pentagon bums and their advisers had to have their pound of flesh. It came down to you. I kept you out of prison, but I couldn't let you keep your job."

"No, I figured as much."

John stood up and walked back around his desk. Pulling open the top drawer, he extracted a manila file. Handing it to the young lady in the visiting chair, he said, "This is your severance paperwork. You're being given a month's pay as compensation, along with payout of all your vacation and sick time. Due to the sensitive nature of the projects you worked on, we reserve the right to recall you at any moment. Please read that over and sign at the bottom."

Maggie took the offered folder and scanned through it. Her entire personnel file was there, from her original application to her personality profile and reports from her supervisors. It seemed oddly surreal to be looking at her professional career in the starkness of black and white. Satisfied with the accuracy of the packet, she picked up the offered pen and signed her name with a flourish she didn't really feel.

"I'll need your badge, too."

Wordlessly, Maggie reached down and snagged her purse off the floor. She reached inside and dug around her lipstick and face powder and pulled out her wallet. Popping it open, she plucked the badge out and handed it to John.

Keller gently grabbed the badge and tucked it inside the file. "I know I just said it, but I'm really sorry, Maggie. I wish this could have ended better for you. You and Glen helped save the world, and in my mind, this isn't the way you treat someone who's just bailed out the planet."

The corners of Maggie's mouth quirked up, the earnestness of Keller's words softening her anger over being fired. "I know. Coming from you, that means a lot. Right now, it means even more than my job." Maggie stood and picked up her purse, Keller standing with her out of a gentlemanly sense of propriety.

"I'll have security escort you out." Closing the door to his office, Keller shook Maggie's hand. "Take care of yourself, now. And keep out of trouble!"

"I'll work on that, Mr. Secretary."

* * *

"Oh, hell no." Glen Whitmann closed the front door to his grandmother's house just as fast as he'd opened it, nearly slamming it in Maggie's face. "I don't have anything to say to you! Don't talk to me! Don't talk to me, criminal!"

Maggie cringed at being called a criminal, for it was closer to the truth right now than she cared to admit. But she'd come this far, and there was no reason to turn back now. She stuck her foot in the door, earning a stubbed toe and hissing out some choice curses. "No! Wait! Glen, I need your help."

Glen opened the door, exasperated. "Maggie, the last time I helped you, I was arrested and nearly killed. Not this time. Whatever it is you want to show me, I'm not interested!"

"Yeah, Glen. I was there, too. But, just give me a second, okay?"

He nodded reluctantly and leaned on the doorframe. "What can I do you for, Maggie?"

"I need to know if you're as screwed as I am with the government. I think I'm on their shit list," Maggie said, running a hand through her hair. "And I don't know what to do because I'm not sure if I'll ever find another job now."

Glen paused and thought. He stepped aside to let her in, showing her to his bedroom. They both sat down heavily, she in the chair next to his computer, he on the bed. "You too, huh? I got the whole dog and pony show the other day. Though, I'd bet anything you got it a lot worse."

"Fired, security clearance revoked, and blacklisted. Yeah, I think so," she replied.

Suddenly, a light bulb went off in his head. "Maggie, do you have any plans?" he asked, a ton of different scenarios that might prove to work running through his head.

"At the time? No," she answered honestly. "Other than getting drunk off my ass tonight, I've got nothing on my calendar."

"Well, once you're done with that, maybe we should talk. I was thinking about going into business for myself, and I need a business partner."

"Doing what?" she asked, surprised.

He scoffed. "What else do you think? Computer stuff. I thought I'd start my own home computer service, and I'll need help setting up the networks and whatnot."

"You're using a legit business as a front to house a hacking company," she deciphered.

"Exactly."

Maggie's eyes lit up. "Glen, keep talking. I like the way you think."

*****END*****


End file.
